Todd and Maria Luke
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Dear Friends:
Maria and I recently spent almost a month in Xpujil. In that time, we hosted three American mission teams. Here is a brief rundown of some of what happened, as well as other Xpujil mission news:
A New Used Tractor
John King and Andy Combs from First Presbyterian Church of Brownsville, Tennessee came to help our full-time associate in Xpujil, Felipe Torres, purchase a used tractor and four pull-attachments. John is a lifelong farmer, and his family has been farming in west Tennessee since the 1830’s. Andy has worked on agriculture projects with our Mexican partners for nearly a decade. Their knowledge and experience helped us make well-informed buying decisions.
The tractor purchase went smoothly, although there was a small hiccup. Someone stole the tractor’s starter and punctured a gas filter in the hour after the sale but before we took possession. This small act of sabotage committed by one unhappy member of the seller’s organization was not a problem for Felipe, John, and Andy. They simply drove to Chetumal and bought a new starter, a replacement gas filter, and several other items that the tractor would eventually need as part of its regular maintenance. The relative ease with which they found those replacement parts was one big reason we decided to buy that particular brand of tractor in the first place. The next day, Felipe was up in the driver’s seat of the tractor receiving operating tips from John.
We plan to make the tractor and attachments available to our Presbyterian partners so they can apply 20th century cultivation methods to their best portions of farm land and eliminate the need to slash and burn. By becoming better land stewards, we expect corn yields to increase. More corn means more grain and fiber to fatten sheep, chickens, turkeys, and pigs - all raised for both family consumption and to generate income. Surplus corn can also be sold locally or to out-of-town buyers. Friends and members of FPC Brownsville - a small town church with a very big heart - raised all the funds needed to purchase the tractor and attachments. Thank you so much, Brownsville.
What About the Sheep?
When Dr. Gill from Middle Tennessee State University visited our sheep partners last summer, he went to their fields, examined their sheep, and asked a lot of questions. During our last night together, he mentioned that a profitable and healthy family-run sheep operation should grow most of its own sheep feed and not purchase it elsewhere. He recommended that corn become a key component of the diet of the sheep. Accordingly, we have shifted more of our attention to cornfield management and production as we pursue more efficient ways to feed our sheep.
Twelve Cisterns
Twelve new cisterns were built in February and early March: eight in Once de Mayo, three in Ley de Fomento, and one in San Miguel. Four Presbyterian foremen (Victor, Raul, Felipe Lopez, and Alfonso) from Castilla Brito guided the local volunteers through the construction process. In consecutive weeks, two American teams - one from Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago and the other from First Presbyterian Church of Walhalla, South Carolina - served side by side with the foremen, the local volunteers (often more than a dozen), and the new cistern owner families. As always, it was great to see everyone work so well together.
Opportunity to Share with New Partners
This summer, we would like to build twelve cisterns in the village of Nuevo Campanario. We have never built cisterns there, but several Presbyterian families have expressed a willingness to make the necessary commitment of time, materials, and labor to fix their water problem. Our foremen are excited about this possibility and look forward to working with Nuevo Campanario families. If we acquire the necessary funds, we hope to begin building on July 16. Currently, one American church partner is close to finalizing plans to provide support for two cisterns, but that still leaves ten cisterns unfunded - $1,800 dollars will build one cistern. Anyone interested in working on these cisterns for any length of time between July 21 and August 5 should email me at tluke2300@aol.com for more details.
YouTube Video
Last summer, Russell Gammon, a Presbyterian from Cordova, Tennessee, came to Xpujil as part of a four-man work team. He shoveled plenty of sand and gravel with the others and also shot mucho, mucho high definition video. Once he returned home, Mr. Gammon created a fifteen minute video that beautifully captures the spirit of our cistern ministry. Russell also created a shorter six minute version that displays the entire construction process. That short video is posted on The Outreach Foundation’s website under the YouTube tab. If you are a cistern builder veteran, you may recognize some familiar faces or perhaps the sights and sounds may stir up some old memories.
Thank You for Your Prayers
Your prayers and steadfast support for our Xpujil ministry allow us to glorify God through word and service throughout the Calakmul region. This work, with all its unexpected twists and turns, challenges our partners on both sides of the border. A steady flow of prayer - quiet, quick, unique, and simple - helps buoy each partner as he or she performs the mundane tasks that, pieced together, give life to this very special ministry.
Muchas Gracias,
Todd Luke